IC

¹ American  

plural

ICs

1. immediate constituent.

2. Electronics. integrated circuit.

3. intensive care.

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-ic ² American  

1. a suffix forming adjectives from other parts of speech, occurring originally in Greek and Latin loanwords (metallic; poetic; archaic; public ) and, on this model, used as an adjective-forming suffix with the particular senses “having some characteristics of” (opposed to the simple attributive use of the base noun) (balletic; sophomoric ); “in the style of” (Byronic; Miltonic ); “pertaining to a family of peoples or languages” (Finnic; Semitic; Turkic ).

2. Chemistry. a suffix, specialized in opposition to -ous, used to show the higher of two valences.

   ferric chloride.

3. a noun suffix occurring chiefly in loanwords from Greek, where such words were originally adjectival (critic; magic; music ).

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I.C. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Jesus Christ.

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IC ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. internal-combustion

2. electronics integrated circuit

3. text messaging I see

4. (in transformational grammar) immediate constituent

5. astrology Imum Coeli: the point on the ecliptic lying directly opposite the Midheaven

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-ic ² British  

suffix

1. of, relating to, or resembling See also -ical

   allergic

   Germanic

   periodic

2. (in chemistry) indicating that an element is chemically combined in the higher of two possible valence states Compare -ous

   ferric

   stannic

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i/c ³ British  

abbreviation

1. in charge (of)

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Etymology

Origin of -ic²

Middle English -ic, -ik, from Latin -icus; in many words representing the cognate Greek -ikos (directly or through Latin ); in some words replacing -ique, from French, from Latin -icus

Origin of I.C.³

< Latin I ( ēsus ) C ( hrīstus )

Example Sentences

IC: And what do you think made you realize that?

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025

IC: I think people don’t realize that it is ultimately a lot of bravery and self-sacrifice in order to keep your sister’s memory alive.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025

“Nexperia makes chips that are fundamental to virtually every modern vehicle,” says Nick Paul, general manager for United Kingdom–based supply chain specialist IC Blue.

From Barron's • Nov. 6, 2025

In recent years, thousands of Tibetans in India have emigrated to Western countries using the IC, which some nations accept for visa applications.

From BBC • Aug. 11, 2025

Undoubtedly natives were hurrying to report him to the IC.

From Insidekick by Bone, Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin)

Related Words

• chip
• circuitry
• microchip
• microprocessor
• silicon chip